Psalm 7 → 115

Reasoning: 10688 Output: 5124 Total: 15812

Argument

Here is a compact case that Psalm 115 can be read as logically following Psalm 7, moving from an individual plea and vow to a communal answer and doxology. I start with stronger, more “objective” links (identical forms/roots and catchwords), then go to form and thematic arcs that fit Israelite life and liturgy.

A. Tail–head catchwords (identical lexemes, same word class)
- Name + Glory:
  - Ps 7:18 “ואזמרה שם־יהוה עליון”
  - Ps 115:1 “לא לנו יהוה... כי־לשׁמך תן כבוד”
  - Same nouns שֵׁם and כָּבוֹד appear at the seam: the vow “I will sing to the Name” is answered by “to Your Name give glory.” That is unusually tight progression.
- Shield (מָגֵן, same noun with pronominal suffix):
  - Ps 7:11 “מָגִנִּי עַל־אֱלֹהִים”
  - Ps 115:9–11 “עֶזְרָם וּמָגִנָּם הוּא” (x3)
  - The exact noun recurs, shifting from 1cs (“my shield”) to 3mp (“their shield”)—from individual to communal, as we would expect if 115 follows 7.
- Glory (כָּבוֹד):
  - Ps 7:6 “וּכְבוֹדִי לֶעָפָר יַשְׁכֵּן”
  - Ps 115:1 “תֵּן כָּבוֹד”
  - Same noun; in 7 the singer’s “glory” is at risk of sinking to dust; in 115 “glory” is redirected to God’s Name.

B. Lexeme clusters (same roots, closely related ideas)
- Trust/refuge:
  - Ps 7:2 “בְּךָ חָסִיתִי”
  - Ps 115:9–11 “בִּטְחוּ בַּיהוה”
  - Two core “trust” verbs (חסה, בטח) move from the 1st singular’s refuge to the assembly’s exhortation to trust.
- Help/salvation:
  - Ps 7:2, 11 “הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי... מוֹשִׁיעַ יִשְׁרֵי־לֵב”
  - Ps 115:9–11 “עֶזְרָם... הוּא”
  - Different roots (ישע/עזר) but same semantic pair in both psalms: divine rescue + shield.

C. Nations/peoples: from court scene to taunt-and-answer
- Ps 7:8–9 “וַעֲדַת לְאֻמִּים תְּסוֹבְבֶךָּ... יְהוָה יָדִין עַמִּים”
- Ps 115:2–8 “לָמָּה יֹאמְרוּ הַגּוֹיִם... אֱלֹהֵינוּ בַשָּׁמָיִם... עֲצַבֵּיהֶם...”
- 7 imagines a judicial scene with the nations; 115 supplies the nations’ taunt (“Where is their God?”) and answers it polemically (YHWH acts; idols are inert). This is a natural narrative follow-up to 7’s plea for judgment among the nations.

D. Vertical (heaven/earth) mapping: from “to the heights” to “heavens/heavens”
- Ps 7:8 “וְעָלֶיהָ לַמָּרוֹם שׁוּבָה”
- Ps 115:3, 16 “אֱלֹהֵינוּ בַשָּׁמָיִם... הַשָּׁמַיִם שָׁמַיִם לַיהוָה וְהָאָרֶץ נָתַן לִבְנֵי־אָדָם”
- 7 asks God to return to the heights; 115 states the cosmological settlement: God in heaven, earth for humans. It “resolves” the spatial tension of 7.

E. Death/pit vs. living praise: the vow fulfilled
- Ps 7:6, 16 “וְיִרְמֹס לָאָרֶץ חַיָּי... וַיִּפֹּל בְּשַׁחַת”
- Ps 115:17–18 “לֹא הַמֵּתִים יְהַלְלוּ־יָהּ... וַאֲנַחְנוּ נְבָרֵךְ יָהּ”
- 7 fears descent to dust/pit; 115 declares that the dead cannot praise YH but “we” (the preserved living) will bless YH “from now and forever”—exactly what 7 vowed in the singular (7:18) now realized in the plural.

F. Form-critical fit (life-setting in ancient Israel)
- Individual lament with protestation of innocence and vow (Ps 7:4–6, 18) naturally precedes a public thanksgiving/trust liturgy (Ps 115), which is antiphonal (“Israel… House of Aaron… You who fear YHWH”), exactly the shape of a todah fulfillment in the sanctuary. The move from “I” (7) to “Israel/Priests/God-fearers” (115) is classic.
- Warfare/judicial imagery in 7 (divine warrior: sword, bow, arrows; judge of peoples) flows into 115’s communal exhortation that YHWH—not idols—is “their help and their shield,” then into blessing for increase (115:14), which suits post-deliverance festal blessing.

G. Theological arc: justice → covenant fidelity → blessing
- Ps 7 emphasizes God’s justice/righteousness (צדק, 7:9–10, 12, 18).
- Ps 115 opens by grounding praise “עַל־חַסְדְּךָ עַל־אֲמִתֶּךָ” (115:1), the covenant pair, and concludes with multiplying blessing (115:12–15). This is a coherent progression: judgment vindicates → covenant faithfulness is acclaimed → blessing flows to Israel, priests, and all who fear YHWH.

H. Additional links (smaller but cumulative)
- People groups: לְאֻמִּים (7:8) ~ גּוֹיִם (115:2) — near-synonyms used in parallel contexts.
- Maker language: 115:15 “עֹשֵׂה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ” contrasts with 115:4 “מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵי אָדָם” and answers the divine agency already assumed in 7 (God as judge/warrior/establisher of the righteous, 7:9–10, 13–14).
- Pronoun shift matches form shift: 7 is 1st singular heavy; 115 begins with “לֹא־לָנוּ… אֱלֹהֵינוּ… זְכָרָנוּ” and moves to congregational commands and promises.

In sum: the clearest “hooks” are (1) the Name–Glory seam (שֵׁם/כָּבוֹד), (2) the Shield refrain (מָגֵן with suffix), (3) the move from “I took refuge” to “Trust in YHWH… He is their help and shield,” (4) nations/judgment → nations’ taunt answered, (5) dust/pit fear → the living blessing YH, and (6) heaven/earth verticality resolved. Read this way, Psalm 115 functions as the corporate, anti-idol, covenant-affirming fulfillment of Psalm 7’s individual vow after divine vindication.

Evaluation

Score: 6.0

Evaluated at: 2025-11-26T04:25:07 (UTC)

Evaluator model: gpt-5

Evaluator version: v2

Reasoning: 4672 Output: 5958 Total: 10630

Vocabulary specificity: 3.5 / 10

Accurate lexeme links (name–glory; magen; trust; nations; death/praise). Yet formulas are common (cf. Ps 33:20 ‘עזרנו ומגיננו’), 7 lacks idol polemic; no editorial marker; 115’s Hallel context weakens pairing. No caps.

Prompt

Consider Psalm 7 and Psalm 115 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 115 logically follows on from Psalm 7? Consider stylistic similarities, similarities of form, similarities of vocab or ideas, shared roots (if you're doing the search in Hebrew), connections to sequences of events common in ancient Israelite life, mythology or history shared by the two psalms.

Rarer words are more significant than commoner words. Identical forms are more significant than similar forms. The same word class is more significant than different word classes formed from the same root. Identical roots are more significant than suppletive roots.

Psalm 7:
Psalm 7
1. שִׁגָּי֗וֹן
        לְדָ֫וִ֥ד
        אֲשֶׁר־
        שָׁ֥ר
        לַיהוָ֑ה
        עַל־
        דִּבְרֵי־
        כ֝֗וּשׁ
        בֶּן־
        יְמִינִֽי׃
2. יְהוָ֣ה
        אֱ֭לֹהַי
        בְּךָ֣
        חָסִ֑יתִי
        הוֹשִׁיעֵ֥נִי
        מִכָּל־
        רֹ֝דְפַ֗י
        וְהַצִּילֵֽנִי׃
3. פֶּן־
        יִטְרֹ֣ף
        כְּאַרְיֵ֣ה
        נַפְשִׁ֑י
        פֹּ֝רֵ֗ק
        וְאֵ֣ין
        מַצִּֽיל׃
4. יְהוָ֣ה
        אֱ֭לֹהַי
        אִם־
        עָשִׂ֣יתִי
        זֹ֑את
        אִֽם־
        יֶשׁ־
        עָ֥וֶל
        בְּכַפָּֽי׃
5. אִם־
        גָּ֭מַלְתִּי
        שֽׁוֹלְמִ֥י
        רָ֑ע
        וָאֲחַלְּצָ֖ה
        צוֹרְרִ֣י
        רֵיקָֽם׃
6. יִֽרַדֹּ֥ף
        אוֹיֵ֨ב ׀
        נַפְשִׁ֡י
        וְיַשֵּׂ֗ג
        וְיִרְמֹ֣ס
        לָאָ֣רֶץ
        חַיָּ֑י
        וּכְבוֹדִ֓י ׀
        לֶעָפָ֖ר
        יַשְׁכֵּ֣ן
        סֶֽלָה׃
7. ק֘וּמָ֤ה
        יְהוָ֨ה ׀
        בְּאַפֶּ֗ךָ
        הִ֭נָּשֵׂא
        בְּעַבְר֣וֹת
        צוֹרְרָ֑י
        וְע֥וּרָה
        אֵ֝לַ֗י
        מִשְׁפָּ֥ט
        צִוִּֽיתָ׃
8. וַעֲדַ֣ת
        לְ֭אֻמִּים
        תְּסוֹבְבֶ֑ךָּ
        וְ֝עָלֶ֗יהָ
        לַמָּר֥וֹם
        שֽׁוּבָה׃
9. יְהוָה֮
        יָדִ֢ין
        עַ֫מִּ֥ים
        שָׁפְטֵ֥נִי
        יְהוָ֑ה
        כְּצִדְקִ֖י
        וּכְתֻמִּ֣י
        עָלָֽי׃
10. יִגְמָר־
        נָ֬א
        רַ֨ע ׀
        רְשָׁעִים֮
        וּתְכוֹנֵ֢ן
        צַ֫דִּ֥יק
        וּבֹחֵ֣ן
        לִ֭בּ֗וֹת
        וּכְלָי֗וֹת
        אֱלֹהִ֥ים
        צַדִּֽיק׃
11. מָֽגִנִּ֥י
        עַל־
        אֱלֹהִ֑ים
        מ֝וֹשִׁ֗יעַ
        יִשְׁרֵי־
        לֵֽב׃
12. אֱ֭לֹהִים
        שׁוֹפֵ֣ט
        צַדִּ֑יק
        וְ֝אֵ֗ל
        זֹעֵ֥ם
        בְּכָל־
        יֽוֹם׃
13. אִם־
        לֹ֣א
        יָ֭שׁוּב
        חַרְבּ֣וֹ
        יִלְט֑וֹשׁ
        קַשְׁתּ֥וֹ
        דָ֝רַ֗ךְ
        וַֽיְכוֹנְנֶֽהָ׃
14. וְ֭לוֹ
        הֵכִ֣ין
        כְּלֵי־
        מָ֑וֶת
        חִ֝צָּ֗יו
        לְֽדֹלְקִ֥ים
        יִפְעָֽל׃
15. הִנֵּ֥ה
        יְחַבֶּל־
        אָ֑וֶן
        וְהָרָ֥ה
        עָ֝מָ֗ל
        וְיָ֣לַד
        שָֽׁקֶר׃
16. בּ֣וֹר
        כָּ֭רָֽה
        וַֽיַּחְפְּרֵ֑הוּ
        וַ֝יִּפֹּ֗ל
        בְּשַׁ֣חַת
        יִפְעָֽל׃
17. יָשׁ֣וּב
        עֲמָל֣וֹ
        בְרֹאשׁ֑וֹ
        וְעַ֥ל
        קָ֝דְקֳד֗וֹ
        חֲמָס֥וֹ
        יֵרֵֽד׃
18. אוֹדֶ֣ה
        יְהוָ֣ה
        כְּצִדְק֑וֹ
        וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה
        שֵֽׁם־
        יְהוָ֥ה
        עֶלְיֽוֹן׃

Psalm 115:
Psalm 115
1. לֹ֤א
        לָ֥נוּ
        יְהוָ֗ה
        לֹ֫א
        לָ֥נוּ
        כִּֽי־
        לְ֭שִׁמְךָ
        תֵּ֣ן
        כָּב֑וֹד
        עַל־
        חַ֝סְדְּךָ֗
        עַל־
        אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃
2. לָ֭מָּה
        יֹאמְר֣וּ
        הַגּוֹיִ֑ם
        אַיֵּה־
        נָ֝֗א
        אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃
3. וֵֽאלֹהֵ֥ינוּ
        בַשָּׁמָ֑יִם
        כֹּ֖ל
        אֲשֶׁר־
        חָפֵ֣ץ
        עָשָֽׂה׃
4. עֲ‍ֽ֭צַבֵּיהֶם
        כֶּ֣סֶף
        וְזָהָ֑ב
        מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗ה
        יְדֵ֣י
        אָדָֽם׃
5. פֶּֽה־
        לָ֭הֶם
        וְלֹ֣א
        יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ
        עֵינַ֥יִם
        לָ֝הֶ֗ם
        וְלֹ֣א
        יִרְאֽוּ׃
6. אָזְנַ֣יִם
        לָ֭הֶם
        וְלֹ֣א
        יִשְׁמָ֑עוּ
        אַ֥ף
        לָ֝הֶ֗ם
        וְלֹ֣א
        יְרִיחֽוּן׃
7. יְדֵיהֶ֤ם ׀
        וְלֹ֬א
        יְמִישׁ֗וּן
        רַ֭גְלֵיהֶם
        וְלֹ֣א
        יְהַלֵּ֑כוּ
        לֹֽא־
        יֶ֝הְגּ֗וּ
        בִּגְרוֹנָֽם׃
8. כְּ֭מוֹהֶם
        יִהְי֣וּ
        עֹשֵׂיהֶ֑ם
        כֹּ֖ל
        אֲשֶׁר־
        בֹּטֵ֣חַ
        בָּהֶֽם׃
9. יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל
        בְּטַ֣ח
        בַּיהוָ֑ה
        עֶזְרָ֖ם
        וּמָגִנָּ֣ם
        הֽוּא׃
10. בֵּ֣ית
        אַ֭הֲרֹן
        בִּטְח֣וּ
        בַיהוָ֑ה
        עֶזְרָ֖ם
        וּמָגִנָּ֣ם
        הֽוּא׃
11. יִרְאֵ֣י
        יְ֭הוָה
        בִּטְח֣וּ
        בַיהוָ֑ה
        עֶזְרָ֖ם
        וּמָגִנָּ֣ם
        הֽוּא׃
12. יְהוָה֮
        זְכָרָ֢נוּ
        יְבָ֫רֵ֥ךְ
        יְ֭בָרֵךְ
        אֶת־
        בֵּ֣ית
        יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל
        יְ֝בָרֵ֗ךְ
        אֶת־
        בֵּ֥ית
        אַהֲרֹֽן׃
13. יְ֭בָרֵךְ
        יִרְאֵ֣י
        יְהוָ֑ה
        הַ֝קְּטַנִּ֗ים
        עִם־
        הַגְּדֹלִֽים׃
14. יֹסֵ֣ף
        יְהוָ֣ה
        עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם
        עֲ֝לֵיכֶ֗ם
        וְעַל־
        בְּנֵיכֶֽם׃
15. בְּרוּכִ֣ים
        אַ֭תֶּם
        לַיהוָ֑ה
        עֹ֝שֵׂ֗ה
        שָׁמַ֥יִם
        וָאָֽרֶץ׃
16. הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם
        שָׁ֭מַיִם
        לַיהוָ֑ה
        וְ֝הָאָ֗רֶץ
        נָתַ֥ן
        לִבְנֵי־
        אָדָֽם׃
17. לֹ֣א
        הַ֭מֵּתִים
        יְהַֽלְלוּ־
        יָ֑הּ
        וְ֝לֹ֗א
        כָּל־
        יֹרְדֵ֥י
        דוּמָֽה׃
18. וַאֲנַ֤חְנוּ ׀
        נְבָ֘רֵ֤ךְ
        יָ֗הּ
        מֵֽעַתָּ֥ה
        וְעַד־
        עוֹלָ֗ם
        הַֽלְלוּ־
        יָֽהּ׃